China Sea Race underway

Competitors head out of Hong Kong bound for the Philippines

In Hong Kong, the final event in this season's Omega Asian Yachting Circuit got off to a flying start at 1200hrs today, with 25 boats enjoying a steady 15 knot northerly breeze that caused both Stella Minter Ellison and Moonblue II to shred their kites.

The course for the China Sea Race takes competitors from Hong Kong to Subic bay in the Philippines, a total course length of 565 miles.

Race Officer David Salter chose to set a long start line, perpendicular to the Rhumb line with no windward mark to allow all boats clean air and a downhill start. While most boats elected to start at the outer end of the line, Brian Petersen's Elliot 45 Maverick II stayed inside to benefit from a fast, clean start with seven other entrants joining her to take the westerly route round Ninepins.

Top Omega Asian Yachting Circuit contenders Ray Ordoveza's Clariden Karakoa, Fred Kinmonth's Stella Minter Ellison and Neil Pryde's Hi Fidelity chose the easterly route, along with Frank Pong's Jelik, which quickly pulled into a commanding position at the head of the fleet ahead of Sam Chan's Ffree Fire.

1800hrs Position Report for all participants will be posted on the event website at www.chinasearace.com.

Entries:

	IRC Racing Division
Sail No.	Boat Name	Skipper	Design	TCC	HKPN
AUS4100	Australian Maid	Jon Wardill	Cassidy 55	1.183	690
HKG10795	Blue Juice	Will Rawley	J120	1.097	755
PHI8088	Clariden-Karakoa	Ray Ordoveza	Andrews 53	1.229	620
HKG1892	Ffree Fire	Sam Chan	ULDB Sled	1.351	580
HKG1888	Hi Fidelity	Neil Pryde	Bermudian Sloop	1.236	600
HKG1978	Jaywalker	Paul Bankowski	Ker 11.3	1.152	745
HKG600	Jelik	Frank Pong	R/P 75	1.5	480
HKG2011	Kam Loong	Jack Mallee	First 40.7	1.063	770
NZL8660	Maverick II	Brian Petersen	Elliott 45	1.324	580
HKG818	Outrageous	Gerry Daughton	Dubois 44	1.128	705
HKG2199	Siren	Anthony Day	Sayer 13	1.187	675
PHI9999	Standard Insurance Centennial	Ernesto Echauz	Sydney 46	1.183	660
HKG3815	Stella Minter Ellison	Fred Kinmonth	Sydney 38	1.117	740
HKG2000	Time	Geoff Hill	Farr 40	1.176	680
	IRC Premier Cruising Division
Sail No.	Boat Name	Skipper	Design	TCC	HKPN
NZL8811	Intrigue of Stornoway	Ian Nicolson	Warwick 60	1.219	725
CAY8888	Moonblue 2	Peter Churchouse	Warwick 64	1.256	700
HKG2018	Polar Star III	T C Leung	First 47.7	1.123	760
HKG1985	Shahtoosh	Peter Cremers	Warwick 55	1.168	750
HKG8155	Tui Tai	Sandra Stonham	Tayana 47	1.009	925
	HKPN
Sail No.	Boat Name	Skipper	Design		HKPN
HKG1850	Bewitched	Glenn Smith	Catalina 42		900
HKG1166	Dolphin Six	Wong Sum	Beneteau 47.3		810
HKG1983	Lady Luck	Ben Barnes	Catalina 42		925
HKG432	Moxie	John Lampl	Valiant		1000
HKG1198	Windseeker	John Blay	S&S 36		910
F37	Zuma	Iain MacLeod	Mappas 37		580